Agenda and Papers - University of Edinburgh

Discussions
Positive discussions were held at an early point between Professor Ian Pirie, Dr Tina
Harrison (University of Edinburgh Director of Quality), Dr Stephanie Colvan (ECA
Academic Registry), Dr Linda Bruce (UoE Academic Registry) and others on these
matters. The following sections summarise the main points covered to date and
highlights where further discussion is required.
Quality Framework
QAC is asked to approve the adoption by the new ECA of University’s Quality
framework, including the current work of the Collaborative Provision and Teachability
task groups. University-level guidance provides in many cases for local
customisation to suit School contexts, within overarching University principles and in
accordance with College guidance.
External Examiners
QAC is asked to approve the adoption by the new ECA of the University of
Edinburgh’s Code of Practice on External Examiners, following comparison of both
Codes and consultation on regulatory aspects. Examples of good practice in the
current ECA Code have been noted for possible inclusion in University processes.
Internal Reviews of Academic Provision / Teaching Programme Reviews /
Postgraduate Programme Reviews - proposals
In ECA, Internal Reviews of Academic Provision fulfil the same purpose that
Teaching Programme Reviews (TPRs) and Postgraduate Programme Reviews
(PPRs) fulfil in the University, providing periodic (roughly five to six yearly) review of
academic provision in line with QAA and SFC requirements. For the current session’s
IRAPS, ECA has repackaged the previous multiple ECA disciplines to 2 large
groupings: Design and Art. The IRAP of Design took place in March 2011, and that of
Art is scheduled for June 2011. Fiona Carmichael (UoE Academic Registry)
observed the IRAP of Design with a view to understanding the process and
identifying good practice for possible incorporation into the TPR and PPR process,
and Linda Bruce (UoE Academic Registry) will observe the Art IRAP for the same
purpose. With the completion of these IRAPs, all ECA disciplines will have been
reviewed within schedule.
On the basis of the observation of the IRAP of Design, and a review of ECA
documentation, it is confirmed that the IRAP process satisfies the University’s review
requirements so that Art and Design need not be reviewed again until their next
internal review is due. This will be no later than 2017/18, based on the six-yearly
cycle required by the QAA and SFC. It is proposed that for all future reviews of ECA
provision IRAPs are replace by the TPR and PPR review process. Senate Quality
Assurance Committee will be asked to agree the next cycle of TPRs at its meeting of
25 May 2011. The format of the University’s review process caters for a very broad
range of disciplines, and is very similar in methodology to the IRAP process. In
addition to the standard University review remit, each review takes account of
subject-specific issues proposed by the review area and agreed by a formal remit
meeting in advance of the review visit. The format of the review visit is already
sufficiently flexible to respond to discipline-specific provision, with meetings being
tailored where necessary to support the subject-specific remit. It is expected that this
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